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Open Day

Denise & Robert Hennessy Family Farm Open Day

29 Jul12:00 – 15:00Inistioge, Co.Kilkenny, R95 CDD7.

Join Our Open Day

Text 087 749 5136 to RSVP & confirm lunch — All welcome!

DOES IT PAY TO CONVERT TO DAIRY?

📅 Date: Tuesday, 29th July 2025
🕛 Time: From 12:00 noon
📍 Location: Hennessy Family Farm, Kilkieran, Inistioge, Co. Kilkenny
 Eircode: R95 CDD7

One Year On: A New Entrant’s Robotic Milking Journey

Learn how the Hennessy family transformed their suckler and sheep farm into a fully robotic dairy operation — all while managing a challenging hillside farm and working off-farm.

One year in, Robert shares the highs and lows of making the switch: Did it pay off? What did it take? And what’s next for the farm?

This Open Day is especially relevant to new entrants and those exploring conversion, providing a realistic look at what robotic dairying can offer — from infrastructure and finance to herd performance and return on investment.

Key Topics Covered

  • Timeline & Grants: From first idea to first milking – planning, approvals, business plan, milk supplier, grants, and partnerships

  • Business Plan: Setup costs on a retrofit yard – comparing robots vs parlour and how the Hennessys financed the transition

  • Return on Investment: Year One performance vs Teagasc targets and national new entrant averages – ROI for new entrants

  • Lely Support: The role of local advisor and Lely’s training, FMS visits, and day-to-day guidance 

  • Farm Performance: Milk yield, herd health, grazing management, and work-life balance 

  • Herd Genetics: EBI-driven breeding and long-term strategy

  • Looking Ahead: Financial progress before and after conversion – future goals and what’s next for the farm

The Hennessys were named New Entrant of the Year 2024 for their practical approach — completing key infrastructure early, starting grazing on time, and staying engaged with discussion groups. The Open Day is a great chance to see this example of successful robotic milking in action and learn what’s involved in making it work from year one.

Special Guest Speakers

We’re pleased to welcome expert insights from Teagasc, Tirlán and Progressive Genetics who will join us on the day.

Guided Farm Tours & Live Q&A

Visitors will be guided in small groups around the farm to explore the robotic milking system, grazing infrastructure, and farmyard setup.

📲 Text 087 749 5136 to RSVP & confirm lunch — All welcome!